diff --git a/inxi b/inxi
index a173c22..e4616b8 100755
--- a/inxi
+++ b/inxi
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 #!/bin/bash
 ########################################################################
 ####  Script Name: inxi
-####  version: 1.8.2
-####  Date: May 11 2012
+####  version: 1.8.3
+####  Date: May 14 2012
 ####  Patch Number: 00
 ########################################################################
 ####  SPECIAL THANKS
@@ -282,6 +282,8 @@ B_SHOW_PARTITIONS_FULL='false'
 B_SHOW_PS_CPU_DATA='false'
 B_SHOW_PS_MEM_DATA='false'
 B_SHOW_RAID='false'
+# because many systems have no mdstat file, -b/-F should not show error if no raid file found
+B_SHOW_RAID_R='false' 
 B_SHOW_REPOS='false'
 B_RUNNING_IN_X='false'
 B_SHOW_SENSORS='false'
@@ -1926,6 +1928,10 @@ get_parameters()
 				use_short='false'
 				;;
 			R)	B_SHOW_RAID='true'
+				# it turns out only users with mdraid software installed will have raid,
+				# so unless -R is explicitly called, blank -b/-F/-v6 and less output will not show
+				# error if file is missing.
+				B_SHOW_RAID_R='true'
 				use_short='false'
 				;;
 			s)	B_SHOW_SENSORS='true'
@@ -1993,6 +1999,7 @@ get_parameters()
 					if [[ $OPTARG -ge 7 ]];then
 						B_EXTRA_EXTRA_DATA='true'
 						B_SHOW_IP='true'
+						B_SHOW_RAID_R='true'
 					fi
 				else
 					error_handler 4 "$OPTARG"
@@ -7795,7 +7802,7 @@ print_raid_data()
 	local basic_raid='' basic_raid_separator='' basic_raid_plural='' inactive=''
 	local component_separator='' device_id='' print_string='' loop_limit=0 array_count_unused=''
 	local array_count='' raid_event='' b_print_lines='true'
-	
+
 	get_raid_data
 
 	for (( i=0; i < ${#A_RAID_DATA[@]}; i++ ))
@@ -7984,7 +7991,6 @@ print_raid_data()
 				read_ahead=${a_partition_working[1]}
 				read_ahead=" ${C1}read ahead${SEP3}${C2} $read_ahead"
 			fi
-			
 		elif [[ ${a_partition_working[0]} == 'UnusedDevices' ]];then
 			if [[ ${a_partition_working[1]} == '' ]];then
 				unused_devices='N/A'
@@ -8005,15 +8011,15 @@ print_raid_data()
 	fi
 
 	if [[ $B_MDSTAT_FILE != 'true' ]];then
-		if [[ $B_SHOW_BASIC_RAID != 'true' ]];then
-			a_raid_data[0]="${C1}Error${SEP3}${C2} No $FILE_MDSTAT file detected!"
+		if [[ $B_SHOW_RAID_R == 'true' ]];then
+			a_raid_data[0]="No RAID data available - $FILE_MDSTAT is missing - is md_mod kernel module loaded?"
 		else
 			b_print_lines='false'
 		fi
 	else
 		if [[ ${a_raid_data[0]} == '' ]];then
 			if [[ $B_SHOW_BASIC_RAID != 'true' ]];then
-				a_raid_data[0]="${C1}Device${SEP3}${C2} No RAID devices detected!"
+				a_raid_data[0]="No RAID devices detected - /proc/mdstat and md_mod kernel raid module present"
 			else
 				b_print_lines='false'
 			fi